This Is the Last Time
by Teliko. x3
Summary: "I wish everybody knew what's so great about you."
1. Chapter 1

**This Is the Last Time**

**Rating: It's okay.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or any of the characters!**

**Summary: "I wish everybody knew what's so great about you."**

**A/N: So this is a CSI fic... since I haven't written in forever. The story idea credit belongs to Remoob1513. They came up with the idea and I just wrote it! Sorry for any grammar mistakes! Also, listen to This Is the Last Time by The National. It helped me write this!**

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><p>It had started out innocently enough, one night when he had asked her out on a harmless date. She had agreed reluctantly, but only because she couldn't remember the last time she had been out on an actual date. She took him up on his offer to get a few drinks after their shift ended and was a bit skeptical as they approached the bar he had decided on. Greg had insisted that it would be fun… and to her surprise, it was. It was a casual pub with dim lights and pictures of the bar's regulars hanging from the walls. There were a few pool tables occupied by slightly drunk college kids with cigarettes hanging between their lips and the bar was packed with people just getting off of work, like them.<p>

Greg had pushed through the crowd of people that hovered by the bar and grabbed her hand instinctively, pulling her with him so she could order herself a drink. She ducked under his arm when they finally reached the bar top, and scooted in front of him so her back was pressed lightly up against his chest. He craned his neck to the side to be able to see her face and asked softly in her ear,

"What do you want to drink? It's on me. All of it."

"Greg, I'm perfectly capable of buying my own drinks."

"What's the point of me asking you out on this date if I let you pay for your drinks, then?" He pulled his wallet out form his back jean pocket and slipped a credit card from its pouch. "So what's it going to be? Vodka? Tequila? Whiskey?"

"A beer," she answered back with one of the smiles only a few people were ever fortunate enough to see. A smile that told him, 'You know better than to ask me that.' He nodded and pounded his hand against the bar counter.

"Two Budweiser's. Bottles," and slid his credit card across the bar to the man now holding two cold, tall beers. Greg accepted the drinks and handed one to Sara.

They settled into one of the empty booths on the other side of the bar, away from the people and the noise. There were a few televisions muted, playing sports highlights that were begging for his attention, but instead he raised his bottle up in the air, offering up a toast.

"To a fun and eventful date." She tapped the neck of her beer to his and together, they both took a long sip of the beer. "So Sara…" His boyish features were strikingly attractive tonight; the way he tilted his head down and looked up at her through his eyelashes as if he were almost too shy, the way he grinned at her as she took more and more drinks from her beer, how he had spiked his hair up in the Greg-like fashion…

"Greg," she tested his name on her lips, earning another smile from him.

"Why'd you agree to go on this date with me? Why now?"

"Honestly?" He nodded, nursing more and more of his beer to catch up with her. "I thought it was time to have a little fun. And who better to do that with than you?"

The night had progressed quickly, with both of them loosing track of time so effortlessly. Beer after beer, she felt herself loosening up around him, smiling and laughing more, leaning into him whenever they went back for more drinks at the bar, clinging onto his arm as he stood there ordering more beer, whispering into his ear that the blonde across the room was checking him out… She knew deep down that none of this was really her, not what Greg was used to seeing. But the alcohol was making her brave, and Greg didn't seem to mind it one bit. The night had finally come to an end and before they knew it, the bar was emptying out.

"Come on… I'll take you home," he had wrapped his arm around her waist and led her back to his SUV, where she climbed into the front seat. He buckled her in and walked over to the driver's side, started the engine, and was off into the night.

"Did you have fun?"

She hiccupped. He laughed.

"That's a dumb question. Look at me. This is the first time I've been this drunk in… years."

"No way. You're drunk?" That earned him a playful slap on the arm. "I can't wait to tell the guys this."

"Greg!"

"I'm kidding, Sara. I would never." He reached over to pat her on the leg for reassurance, and when he went to pull his hand away, she covered it with her own to keep it on her thigh.

"Thank you for tonight, Greg. You don't know how badly I needed this."

The trip back to her apartment had taken less time than she thought, and before she knew it, she was unbuckling her seat belt and reaching for the door. There was no denying that she had fun with Greg tonight. There was something about him… just being with him made her feel alive, made her forget about all her troubles. The alcohol was making her bounce the ideas back and forth in her head. He was a good friend, a best friend, really… but could he be any more than that?

She had just managed to move on and forget about Grissom now that Catherine had claimed him, but was it possible to fall for someone again so quickly?

"Hey… I'll help you up there," he whispered, turning off the engine and getting out of the SUV before she could protest. She knew she could manage the stairs and get into her apartment by herself, but an odd wave of security washed over her as he opened her car door for her, helped her down from her seat, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Moments later, she found herself in her apartment and let her keys drop the side table by the door. Greg had stayed behind by the door and was simply content to watch her settle in for the night, knowing she was safe, until he left for his own place.

She had decided that she didn't want the night to end after all, and disappeared into her kitchen. She emerged with two beers in her hand and nodded to the couch in the corner of her small living room.

"One more beer?"

His hands were shoved in his jean pockets as he shrugged. He knew she was probably tired after long day of work, and both of them would have to go back in a matter of hours, but there was something about the way she had kicked off her shoes and fell back onto the couch, inviting him next to her.

"One more and it's bedtime for you."

He took his place next to her and accepted the beer she had offered him. The rest of the night had been sharing the stories of him, Nick, and Warrick… all three of them getting into some type of trouble like three little boys. Laugher filled her living room and before long, the laugher turned into yawning, no matter how hard she tried to stay awake to listen to more of his stories.

"Sara…. It's late. I don't want to keep you up." He had thrown away their empty beer cans and came back to the couch, standing in front of her and holding out his hands for her to take. He gently pulled her from the couch, but she lost her sense of balance and fell against him. He caught her instinctively, wrapping his arms around her and steading her against his chest. "I'm going to go now," he whispered. His face was so close to hers, he could feel the heat coming from her cheeks. He itched to kiss her, his lips twitching at the chance to press against hers, but he refrained.

"Just stay," she whispered back, her head tilting back in an inviting gesture to finally kiss her. Without giving it another thought, he closed the distance between them and let one of his hands that had been resting on her lower back tangle into her hair, cradling her head and keeping her face tilted back so he could kiss her.

The kiss was slow and gentle, their lips testing, teasing, barely touching. It was soft and hesitant, unlike the rest of the kisses she had experienced. It was intoxicating. She felt dizzy standing there, her lips pressed against Greg's and her body almost melting into his. Her own trembling hands slid up his chest, which is when he lost all control at her touch and deepened their kiss, rolling his tongue past her lips and against her own. She gripped the edges of his jacket for support and sighed into his mouth, their hands changing angles desperately to explore more, further into one another.

She pulled back on his jacket, encouraging him to take steps with her as she slowly made for her bedroom. She could feel herself responding to his kiss and growing hotter with every second that passed. Her hands left his jacket just long enough to strip herself of her own clothes as they went through the small hallway to her bedroom. His jacket was next to follow hers onto a trail of clothing that led to her room. He spun sharply and pressed her fully up against the wall by her bedroom, anchoring his hands on her hips to keep her in place and in front of him as he trailed hot kisses down her neck and across her collarbone.

It was all she could handle before pushing against his body, reaching behind him to open the bedroom door and push him inside. He stumbled back, catching himself on her bed before she crawled on top of him, straddling his lap and forcing him to lie back on the bed.

He thought maybe he should put a stop to this. She was drunk, he had been drinking… nothing about it seemed like a good idea, but just her touch was driving him to a point of no return. Part of him wanted this more than anything. He had waited so long to have a chance like this with Sara. But the other part of him was throwing logic into the mix and not helping one bit. Almost everyone in the lab knew that Sara was finally starting to get over Grissom and he couldn't help but wonder if this was just another way to help her see past Gil.

He had broken off their kiss long enough to frame her face with both of his hands.

"Are you sure," he asked, out of breath and full of desire.

"I've never been surer about anything else," she responded, working the buttons on her shirt to expose the black lace bra beneath. Greg could feel the blood begin to boil in his veins and could only pray she meant what she said.

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><p><strong>AN: So there's the first chapter! Hopefully I can update soon. It shouldn't be too long of a story, but there are def. a few more chapters coming up! Let me know what you guys think so far! Again, sorry for any grammar mistakes!**


	2. Chapter 2

**This Is the Last Time**

**Rating: It's okay!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: So here's chapter two... which took FOREVER and I apologize. I have so many fics going on right now, it's kind of hard to keep track of everything! Sorry for any grammar mistakes and for the long wait! Listen to Settle Down by The 1975 to get a feel for the chapter! ;)**

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><p>She watches him roll naked out of her bed for what seems like the thousandth time when she realizes t heir strictly 'friend' relationship had started to include a lot of benefits as well. She still couldn't quite grasp the idea of being in a committed relationship with him, and she wasn't sure if it was because somewhere deep down, she hoped Gil and Catherine wouldn't work out or if she just didn't have the types of feelings about Greg that would make it much easier for her to call him her boyfriend.<p>

He's getting dressed, pulling one of his famous band t-shirts over his head and stepping into his jeans, pulling them over his hips. It's been a few months since their first encounter and she smiles to herself at the memory. They've had a lot of fun since then, but she still couldn't confidently stay where they stood as a couple. He catches the look on her face and can't help but smile too.

"What's so funny," he asks, checking himself out in her body length mirror hanging on the back of her bedroom door to make sure he hadn't put his shirt on backwards or something of that kind.

"Nothing," she blows it off. "Just thinking."

He's reaching for his socks and shoes when she rolls over and notices what time is flashing on her alarm clock. It's barely five o'clock and their shift doesn't officially start for another two hours.

"Going home first," she asks, propping herself up on her elbows. She's still naked underneath the sheets, but they're covering the most essential parts of her body. Only her shoulders and the top of her chest is visible to him.

"No, actually." He pulls on his shoes and goes to lace them up. "There's a new lab tech they want me to train tonight. You know… show 'em around, point out with CSI ladies are taken." She laughs. He's been wanting to tell everyone about their new relationship, but she had shot the idea down quickly. It would cause too much of a stirrup at work… or at least, she thought it would.

"Alright. I guess I'll see you in a few hours then," she says as he leans down and presses a quick kiss to her lips, grabs his keys that are resting on her nightstand, and hurries out of the door to make it to work.

/

It's almost seven o' clock on the dot when she walks through the lab doors. Her purse is slung over her shoulder and a change of clothes are resting in her arms for when her shift is over. She rounds the corner and the locker room comes into view, it seemingly being empty. But when she gets closer, she can make out Catherine's undeniable laugh being muffled by someone. Then she realizes it's probably Gil and she slows her pace so she won't walk in on them and cause a great deal of embarrassment for everyone.

"Gil," Catherine pleads, another muffled laugh falls from her lips. "I'll see you later."

"Be careful out there," Sara can hear him whisper to her, pressing what seems like another kiss to her lips.

Catherine suddenly comes into view with her black forensics vest wrapped around her small body. Her strawberry blonde curls are bouncing on her shoulders with every step she takes.

"Sara," she says, a smile playing on her lips. "Hey." And she's off like that, heading down the hallway and grabbing Nick out from the breakroom to accompany her to a crime scene.

Sara walks into the locker room and ignores Gil sitting a few feet away, walks up to her locker, places her things inside, and walks out just as quickly.

She knows there's a place she can go where she doesn't have to worry about catching Catherine and Girssom in the middle of a make-out session. She remembers there's a new lab tech that Greg's training tonight, so she hopes he's not too busy for her to drop in and see him. She enters the lab and sees him standing there, in front of one of the many computers. She smiles when she sees him typing away furiously and printing out results left and right.

"Busy," she asks, coming to stand directly in front of him. He looks much different with his white lab coat and a somewhat concentrated face. She marvels that she had seen him completely naked only a few hours ago, had kissed those pouty lips, clung onto his shoulders that hold up the white lab coat.

"No, not really," he says without looking up from the computer. "Just a lot of stuff to process. Shouldn't take too long now that I have help," he says with a suggestive grin.

"Where is that new lab tech anyway," she asks. And as if on que, there's a slim blonde girl walking through the side entrances of the lab, sporting a white lab coat and a beautiful smile. "Oh," she mutters, just loud enough for Greg to hear and look up to see Amy walking towards them. She's got big, beautiful green eyes that light up the room and long blonde hair that's been straightened and pulled back into a messy ponytail.

"This is Amy… our new lab technician." The younger blonde holds out her hand for Sara to shake, which she does politely and with a forced smile.

"Sara Sidle. Nice to meet you." She never thought of herself as the jealous type, but watching Gil with Catherine had shut that idea down completely. And even though this new girl had the potential to be the best lab technician in the entire office, Sara still wasn't sure if she wanted Amy to stay around too long… especially if she would be around Greg for the majority of the day. "Greg…" She calls out his name like she always has while they're at work, all while keeping her eyes on Amy. "Can I talk to you?" She asks, motioning for outside, in the hallway. He nods, places the test results he had in his hands down on the desk, and follows her outside into the hallway. The walls are virtually see-through as they're made out of glass, but completely sound proof.

"I was thinking… maybe we could grab breakfast after work. My treat," she's trying to sweet talk him into a date night with her and she realizes it's because she wants him near her side… not Amy's.

"I ugh… I told Amy I would take her out, kind of a friendly "show the new girl around" type of night," he says slowly. "I didn't think you'd want to do anything after work… I'm sorry," he says as a look of betrayal washes over her face. He didn't think she'd get so upset over two friends exploring the town together. But he argues with himself that she'd be even more pissed off if she knew exactly who Amy was to him. It wasn't every day you got to work side by side by your ex-girlfriend. But whatever happened had done so a long time ago and there was nothing left between them but friendly vibes and funny jokes. Besides, he was still unclear of what he meant to Sara… whether she considered him just a friend with benefits or if he was someone she couldn't imagine her life without.

"No, no. It's fine," she covers up her disappointment with a smile and nod. "I ugh… maybe tomorrow night," she offers instead and he nods quickly.

"Yes. Tomorrow night is perfect. We'll do whatever you want," he's making up for the fact that they can't hang out tonight and it sets her heart at ease. He seems eager to make her happy and it tells her that he's way more interested in her than he is in Amy.

But as she watches him walk back into the lab and come to stand side by side with Amy, gently leaning into her side and whispering something into her ear which causes the pretty girl to laugh, Sara can't help but think twice.

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The rest of the night drags on slowly. She's waiting for anything to come in for her to work, but she's stuck with organizing evidence for other cases until the clock strikes seven. After saving the last box of organized evidence and case files, she steps into the hallway to find it completely empty. The graveyard shift team is all piled into the locker room. Catherine is standing at her locker, shrugging on a jacket with Gil sitting on the bench close behind her. Nick is leaning up against the lockers opposite of the couple with arms folded across his chest when he notices Sara standing in the doorway.

"About time you get your head out of those dusty old evidence boxes," he teases her, stretching out an arm for her to walk into. He gives her a quick hug and resumes his position with arms crossed over his chest. "Slow night," he asks her and she nods her head.

"What about you guys? Crime scene take long to process," she asks to keep conversation. Catherine shuts the locker and turns to face her.

"Not any longer than usual. We could've used your help. I should've called," Catherine says with an apologetic smile. Sara brushes it off and shrugs her shoulders.

"I'm sure you guys did fine."

The sound of Amy's laughter throws her off guard and Sara turns her head, looking out into the hallway behind her to find Greg and Amy walking towards the doors of the lab, both of their coats in their hands. She watches as Greg takes Amy's jacket, open it out for her, and hold it up for her to slip her arms into. He proceeds to hold the door open for her and she places her hand on his shoulder, offering up a beautiful smile before they both disappear into the parking lot.

"Well… we better get going," Gil says, standing up behind Catherine and placing his hand on her lower back to lead her out of the locker room. "See you guys tomorrow," he says and the couple leaves the room. Sara watches them leave too, and it's enough to drag her down into a pit of sadness that she's not leaving work with anyone.

Nick stands there; quiet, watching the expressions play out on her face. Everyone at the lab knew how heartbroken she must have been when Gil and Catherine had made their relationship official.

"Wanna grab some breakfast," he asks softly, a small smile playing on his lips.

She opens her mouth to politely decline, content just to go home and drink a glass of wine by herself, but the corners of her lips turn up in a smile.

"Actually… I do."

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><p><strong>AN: So there it is! Let me know how you all like it! Sorry for any mistakes and look out for chapter three! Thanks for reading and reviewing! You guys make my day!**


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